Ishqiya Movie Review: Ishqiya Delightfully Shady

Ishqiya, directed by debutante director Abhishek Chaubey, is an interesting dark comedy that is delightfully rustic. Set in East UP(Gorakkhpur), it is the story of a widow and two conmen. Krishna (Vidya Balan) ‘s husband who is a part of an underground ‘sena’ movement, supposedly dies to a cylinder blast. After some months, she finds two men seeking refuge in her house. These two guys are Babban(Arshad Warsi) and Khalujaan(Naseeruddin Shah) who are on the run with booty; from their boss. As they spend time in the house, the men get besotted by the charms of Krishna. While Babban lusts for her, Khalujaan begins to fall in love with her. But as the story unfolds, we know that the plot is not so simple, and the woman is the mother of all cons. She gets the two of them to join hands with her for a kidnap plot, where they plan to abduct the rich men of the village. Somewhere down the line when Khalujaan is out for work, Babban seduces Krisha who leads him on. Khalujaan comes to know of it and he becomes very angry with Babban and Krishna. The kidnap plan is nearly foiled due to the jealousy and anger of Khalujaan. Towards the end, the men come to know that the woman is more cunning than they thought. However the finale has its own twist that put the lives of all three in danger.

What’s hot in Ishqiya:

The story of Ishqiya may not be the most original in the world, but the director Abhishek Chaubey has given a very authentic look. The performances are bang-on, music by Vishal Bharadwaj is a winner(especially Ibn-e-Batuta and Dil Bachcpan Hai). Vishal Bharadwaj’s dialogues are a good mix of vulgar, rustic and earthy. Mohana Krishna’s cinematography is largely responsible for the authentic feel and look of the film. Special mention should be given to Payal Saluta, costume designer who has made Vidya Balan desirable and sexy in cotton sarees.

What’s disappointing in Ishiqya:

The pace of Ishqiya is sluggish and the movie delves into unimportant areas at times, which distracts the plot. The climax is also a dampener, too filmy for a Vishal Bharadwaj movie

Performance in Ishqiya:

With three great actors sharing screen space, you expect some good chemistry, and you are not disappointed. Vidya Balan has given a very good performance, total turn-around from her motherly character in Paa. Her role in Ishqiya has shades of sweet and slutty and the girl excels in both. Nasseeruddin Shah is a delight to watch. Watch him struggling to express his love to Krishna; his shy eyes have an old town melancholy in them. Arshad Warsi’s character is a total opposite and he rocks in his role.